The present invention relates to a guide unit for a guiding curtain airbag that is deployed along an inner side surface of a vehicle cabin. In particular, it relates to a guide unit provided with guiding means for guiding the curtain airbag to be deployed. The present invention also relates to a curtain airbag device provided with the guide unit.
In a vehicle provided with a curtain airbag device, when the vehicle is involved in, for example, a side-on collision or rollover, a curtain airbag is deployed downward along an inner side surface (for example, doors and pillars) of the vehicle cabin so as to protect the head of each vehicle occupant and to keep each vehicle occupant inside the vehicle cabin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,938 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) discloses an example in which a guide element is disposed along a C pillar. Specifically, such a guide element is for guiding a rear portion of a curtain airbag, which is inflatable along the inner side surface of a vehicle cabin, downward along the pillar.
Moreover, such a guide element includes a track member having a box-shaped cross-section and a slider that is disposed within the track member and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the track member. The rear portion of a curtain airbag is fixed to the slider. In order to prevent the rear portion of each curtain airbag from being retracted upward after being moved downward, latches are disposed at a regular interval along the track member.
The top and bottom ends of each track member are provided with mounted flanges, and each of the flanges is fixed to the corresponding C pillar with a bolt or a screw.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-91490 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) discloses a curtain-guide member that guides the curtain airbag such that it passes over the top end of a pillar garnish towards the interior of the vehicle cabin at the deployment of the curtain airbag.